The Mystery of a Subway Victim’s Downward Spiral

Credit…via Mark Monteyne

Good morning. It’s Monday. Today we’ll read about the early life and downward spiral of Debrina Kawam, the woman who was burned alive on a train in Brooklyn last month at age 57.

Andy Newman, who covers homelessness and poverty for the Metro desk, and I spent days reporting on the twists and turns of her life in an attempt to understand her life after her death made headlines across the country.

Debrina Kawam’s story was a tale of two lives. In her first act, she was Debbie, the girl who old friends fondly remembered as a spitfire and beloved Little Falls, N.J., sweetheart.

Those who knew her said she had an inner glow that shined through as she cheered on football players in high school, posed against a collage of Led Zeppelin posters and welcomed diners at Perkins Pancake House with a smile.

Accounts of her early life further revealed a jubilant woman who took a bite out of life whenever she could, whether that was through trips to the Caribbean or partying with friends.

In 2003, she legally changed her first name to Debrina.

Somewhere along the way her life changed, and it took a dark turn in the early 2000s. It still remains unclear what may have happened to trigger her heart-wrenching downfall.